Titanic 2
by writer writing
Summary: Clark and Lois are on assignment as passengers on the Titanic 2, a ship commemorating the 100th anniversary of the original Titanic. Is the Titanic 2 doomed to the same tragedy as the first?
1. Chapter 1

Lois studied the length of the ship. She'd seen bigger ships, but she supposed the Titanic had been pretty large for 1912. She should feel grateful and honored, at least that's what Perry had kept telling her, but it wasn't her idea of hard-hitting journalism.

Clark smiled, recognizing the look on her face. "Treat it as a vacation, not a punishment. That's what the assignment basically is. Do you know how many people at the Planet were ready to kill us for the tickets when they found out we were the ones covering the story."

"Yeah, and it will be educational, a chance of a lifetime, blah blah blah."

"That's the spirit," Clark teased. "I promise this is going to be fun."

"Fun will be when I get back to writing news that matters, not some historical walk down memory lane. If you ask me, it's a little morbid to celebrate the 100th anniversary of a ship sinking."

"There'll be a memorial service over the place it went down. I think it's a perfectly respectful thing to do."

She looked down at her person's information one last time before she put it into her purse. She was Miss Edith Louise Rosenbaum, a female journalist. Edith had just got done reporting on French fashions and was returning home to the U.S.

Clark's ship identity was William Stead, also a journalist. He was traveling to America to take part in a peace congress at Carnegie Hall at the request of President William Taft.

They would have different rooms and would participate in activities appropriate for first-class passengers and the time period. Lois had a room in section A and Clark's was in C, but they had been assured that they could sleep in the same room if they preferred. Both of their people had traveled alone, so they would have the rooms to themselves.

Lois smoothed her confining travel skirt and adjusted her broad-brimmed hat. She looked at Clark, who looked just as ridiculous in his hat and suit. They didn't have to play the parts down to actually playing the characters, but they would find out if they had survived the Titanic at the end of the cruise.

They made their way through the heavy crowd toward the ship. Passengers boarded in different places, depending on their class. They walked up the gangplank and the room they came to was exquisite. There were ornately carved doors and lovely white paneling. There were stewards and stewardesses, also acting as historical interpreters, waiting to show people to their rooms.

"Is this really how it would have really looked?" one person exclaimed.

"Everything is as accurate as possible down to the placement of the nails. You are experiencing the journey as a first-class passenger would have," one of the stewards assured the woman.

Their luggage was already taken care of and waiting in their staterooms, so they found their way to the first class deck. Clark didn't want to miss the ship pulling out.

The entire crew was made up of people who had the practical skills to guide this ship through the waters and who were knowledgeable about the original ship and the period.

One of these crewmembers/interpreters spoke as the ship began to pull away from the dock, not an easy task with all the noise coming from the people who had come to watch, "As the Titanic pulled out, she caused the SS New York to break loose due to her sheer mass. The suction she created pulled it toward her. They narrowly missed colliding, although perhaps it would have been better if they had. Some say it was one of the many mistakes that all but guaranteed the ship would never make it to New York and a dark omen of what was to come."

Lois and Clark both felt a sense of foreboding as the ship left the dock and Southampton began drifting into the distance. It was due in part no doubt to the facts that the interpreter had just shared and the fate of the first Titanic. The other part might have been the chill in the air and the dark clouds that covered the sky.

"I have a feeling this is a cruise we will never forget," Clark said.

For the first time, Lois agreed.


	2. Chapter 2

"I suppose now would be a logical time to get some information from the captain," Lois said.

"It sounds like a plan to me," Clark responded, offering her an arm to take hold of, evoking another time.

She rolled her eyes at the gesture but took his arm anyway as they made their way to the Bridge, where the Captain or another crew member piloted the ship. They weren't the only reporters who had come there to ask questions. The captain welcomed them all into the room.

The man bore an uncanny resemblance to the original Captain Smith from his stocky build to his graying beard. The persons in charge of this venture had no doubt spent some time finding a person with both the necessary skills and the right look.

"How historically accurate are you being?" Lois asked. "What if something were to happen to the ship? Would there be enough lifeboats for everyone?"

The captain laughed, "I assure you, madam, if history were to repeat itself, we are prepared. We weren't so historically accurate that we didn't put in enough lifeboats for all the passengers. It would be illegal not to, a law that resulted from the sinking of the Titanic."

"How long before we are out on the open sea?" another reporter asked. "Are we following the same course of time as the original Titanic?"

"We will be stopping in Cherbourg to gather more passengers as the first Titanic would have done. Tomorrow morning, if we stay on schedule, we will stop in Queenstown, Ireland, the final port, and then our voyage will have truly started. One can never predict storms encountered, winds etc that could make the time slightly different, but yes, we're attempting to reach the spot where they went down in the same amount of time."

There were a few more questions about the trip they were making, how he had been selected for the role of captain, etc. fluff to include in their articles. After they finished the impromptu press conference with the captain, they went to find their cabins and unpack their belongings.

sss

She had almost finished unpacking her last trunk. It was full of clothing she would be wearing for dinners. She would have to pick one to wear because it was just about time. Almost nothing in the trunks was actually hers; the items were on loan to keep up the pretense that they had stepped into another time. They weren't even allowed phones or laptops, not that you were likely to get reception out in the middle of the ocean.

There was a knock on her door. It was Clark already decked out in his dinner suit. He gave an extravagant bow. "I am hoping for the privilege of escorting the lovely lady to dinner."

"You're such a dork," she said, not able to keep the smile off her face as she said it. She moved so he could come into the cabin.

"Aren't these rooms great?" he asked her. "I can't remember the last time I've seen a more luxurious room."

Lois nodded, giving a quick scan of the room. "It definitely beats the local Holiday Inn."

The rooms were grand beyond belief. The cabin was decorated in shades of red and gold with wood paneling. It included gilded wallpaper, beautiful antique furniture although probably not antique for 1912, and even a working fireplace.

She went back to the bedroom and gave a heavy sigh as she tried to decide on which one of the 5 dresses to pick.

"Aren't you enjoying yourself yet?" he asked. "I know you weren't thrilled with coming but you have to admit it's not all bad."

"I just can't shake this bad feeling I have, call it reporter instincts. I mean take the first time. There was all this hoopla about how a manmade ship was unsinkable, a floating, 20th century tower of Babel. According to my character information, they wouldn't even ensure her luggage because the insurance company said the ship was unsinkable. It was like daring God to try and sink it. They might as well have attached a big lightening rod to it. Now 100 years later, we're going to go on this voyage again as if proving that in today's world we can succeed where they failed."

He smiled, "I didn't know you had any superstition in you."

"It is not superstition. It is fact."

"Well, we are honoring the people who lost their lives that day. I'm sure that counts for something." He pulled her into a hug. "To tell you the truth, I felt a little uneasy about this trip too, but think about it this way, even if something were to happen to the ship, I'll be on board. No one will be hurt. And you heard the captain, there are enough lifeboats for everyone this time around, but I think it's all in our heads. It's nothing to worry about."

"You're right. I guess it's the ship getting to me. It's a little eerie seeing all these people looking like they're from another era combined with the fact that we're on a replica of the Titanic." She looked at the clock. "I guess it's time for me to get dressed, so we can go eat."


	3. Chapter 3

Lois had decided on the peacock blue evening dress made with silk that included peacock patterning on the skirt. The sleeves went to the middle of her forearms; it went without saying that the skirt went down past her ankles. She was at least glad that there was no puff to the skirt. She wasn't so glad about the unfortunate accessory of a peacock feather in her bun. She felt gaudy and ridiculous, but Clark appeared impressed with it when she came out of the bedroom.

"I look like a character off of a board game," she said dryly.

"You look amazing," he assured her.

They had decided to try the A La Carte Restaurant before they even boarded. It was separate from the dining salon and you had to make reservations in advance. They'd wanted to try a meal there before it became booked up.

The restaurant was as grand as the rest of first class with French walnut paneling and elegant carving. It was hard not to feel a little awe. They were taken to one of the small round tables.

"The meals on the Titanic were provided as a part of the ticket," the waiter explained to them, "but had you been a real passenger, eating at the A La Carte Restaurant would have been an extra expense. If you had agreed to eat here every night, they would have given the passenger a discount."

"How generous," Lois said. "I'm glad this isn't a separate expense now. We may be first class passengers, but we have a second class pocketbook."

The waiter smiled in response and got down to business. "Our specialty includes the meal that passengers would have most likely enjoyed on the last night. There is no surviving menu from that night from this restaurant, but there were recollections from people who survived and ate here that night. We have recreated the meal to the best of our ability. We also have some other choices if you'd prefer."

"It would be interesting to eat what they had then. We won't be here on the last night," Clark said, looking at Lois to see if she agreed. She gave a half-hearted shrug to show she was up for it.

"Very good, madam, sir. Your dinner will begin momentarily," he said with a slight bow.

Begin was the perfect word for it. 9 courses came and went. Caviar, lobster in rich cream sauce, quails, cherries in brandy sauce, among other items.

Lois leaned back in her chair when the meal was over as much as chairs of this era allowed, but at least the golden-colored seats were sufficiently padded. "I couldn't hold another bite if I tried. What was wrong with these people?"

"I don't know that they cleaned every plate, but I guess it was an age of extravagance for the wealthy. I found it kind of nice actually. It was just the right amount."

"Well, not all of us have stomachs of steel," she teased.

"I have a perfectly normal-sized and normal-looking stomach. It just happens to be indestructible," he teased back.

"I assume though that when you're faster than a speeding bullet, you burn off more calories than the average person and therefore eat more."

"Well, Miss Edith," he said, standing up and holding out his arm for her. "I'm sure I don't know what you're speaking of. I'm just your average British journalist on my way to America at the request of the president."

"This trip is starting to go to your head," she said, standing up.

"Can I interest you in a nightcap?" he continued as if he hadn't heard her.

She laughed, "You're enjoying this entirely too much."

They went back to her room.

"Going back to our earlier conversation, I can think of a way for us both to burn those extra calories off," Clark suggested as soon as the door was shut.

"Don't tell me this peacock dress is turning you on," Lois said, the amusement evident.

"There's something attractive about women in turn of the century clothing." He proved his theory with a passionate kiss, putting a stop to Lois' skepticism about his admiration of the dress.

As they stepped back from the door, they both noticed a white letter on the floor. Lois bent down to retrieve it. "I don't remember this being here before."

"It isn't addressed to us," Clark pointed out.

"It isn't addressed to anybody," she said as she unsealed the blank white envelope.

They read the short, unsigned note together and their eyes grew steadily larger.

_I hope you enjoy your cruise. As in 1912, you never know when your last day will be. I can guarantee this will be a ship that also goes down in history._

"It must be somebody's idea of a practical joke," Clark said.

"I don't know. Tragic, historic events can attract a lot of nuts and fanatics. Maybe so nutty and fanatical, they want to see a repeat of the event."

"It's more than likely from one of the crew members, who didn't think about how it might sound."

"I guess you're right. I'm probably looking for an exciting story in the midst of what will be a mundane article. I'm going to go take down my hair. I wouldn't want to damage the feather. The people who loaned the clothing and accessories won't be happy if something were to happen to it."

Clark watched Lois retreat to the bedroom. He looked down at the note again with an anxious look on his face. He started to throw the note into the trash but quickly stashed the note in his coat pocket instead. Then he followed Lois into the bedroom.


	4. Chapter 4

Lois opened her eyes. It appeared to be late afternoon, which meant they had missed the stop in Ireland and they were now out on the open sea. She looked to her right and saw Clark's still sleeping form beside her and smiled. They were both still recovering from the time zone differences, not to mention it had been very late before they had gone to sleep.

Ever since Superman had arrived on the scene to replace the Blur, his popularity had exploded. Superman had become a celebrity. He was the Clark Gable or Brad Pitt of superheroes. Magazines, news articles, and talk shows all speculated what it would be like to be married to someone like Superman and no one came close to the truth. For all his superpowers and intriguing alien background, he was still so wonderfully human. He was a man who could still be affected when he left his own time zone, a farm boy raised in Kansas who visited his mother on Sundays and called her during the week. She loved and appreciated both sides of him. She smoothed his hair in a loving caress.

Their clothes from last night lay carefully draped over a chair. Lois knew Clark was more worried than he had let on last night and it was unlikely he had discarded the note. She found it in his coat pocket. She reread it, searching for something they might have missed.

He kissed her shoulder. "There's no reason to worry."

"If there's no reason to worry, why did you keep it?" she asked as she turned around to face him. "Have you heard anything suspicious?"

"I doubt I will overhear anything, especially if there's only one person behind it."

"I would feel better if you listened in the hallways to be sure."

"We did just get some more passengers. Maybe they're getting notes slipped under their door as we speak. I guess it couldn't hurt." He concentrated and a concerned look passed over his face. "I—I can't hear anything."

"You lost your powers?"

He tried to pick up the chair next to the bed with one hand. "I've lost my powers," he confirmed.

"If this doesn't prove there's someone who wants this cruise to be unsafe, I don't know what does," Lois concluded.

"I don't get it though. How could anyone possibly suspect that Superman would be on board? It must be a coincidence."

"Like that note was a coincidence? There's somebody who's up to no good. They may not have suspected you were on board, but it puts a stop to any quick sea rescues, doesn't it?"

"I'm beginning to think you're right. Blue kryptonite must have been smuggled onboard."

"We have to find it and dispose of it. The last thing we need is for someone to be plotting something while you're powerless."

"I don't think they had kryptonite in 1912, at least not on the Titanic. It couldn't be a part of the antiques or reproductions, could it?" even as he said it, he scanned the room for signs of the blue stone.

"That doesn't mean they didn't use it in one of the objects. It would probably be representative of a sapphire stone."

He agreed with a nod of his head. They both got up and dressed so they could take a closer look around the rooms. Lois examined one of the vases and Clark pulled open the back of a clock, beginning the search for any small blue stones. They went over the rooms with a fine-toothed comb but came up empty-handed.

Clark sighed. "We'll just have to keep our eyes open for it, but I'm sure I'll be back to normal when we reach land and if I'm not, I can always take a trip to the fortress."

"You're not afraid something will happen before then?"

"I am. I guess the only thing left to do is to explore the ship some more and get to know the people onboard. I can send a telegram to the Justice League and let them know what's going on here."

"We better hurry. There's not a lot of time to waste. It looks like I'm getting my big news-breaking story after all."


	5. Chapter 5

They found the inquiry office after stopping momentarily to ask for directions.

"How much does it cost to send a telegram?" Clark asked the man at the desk.

"53.93 if it's under 17 words," he replied.

"For one lousy stinking telegram that can't even be a long message?" Lois asked. "That doesn't sound like 1912 prices to me."

"No, those are regular 2012 prices," he said.

Clark nudged her to indicate that she should give up the argument, but she paid no heed. "Where's the spirit in this project? This breaks the illusion that we're actually in 1912."

"Well, if you want to pay 1912 prices, you can pretend to send a message, but I should inform you that it was expensive then as well. At any rate, if you want a person to actually read your telegram, you're going to have to pay 53.93."

"This is regular highway robbery. It was then and it is now. For that price, we ought to be able to send a whole letter at least."

"Sorry, lady. I don't come up with the prices. I just pass the message along to the radio room."

"Of course, sir," Clark said. "I think we can send a clear message for under 17 words." Clark paused to figure out a code that would get the message across. "On Titanic 2. Could Not Fly. Need help as soon as possible. Is there anything else we need to tell them?" he asked, turning to Lois.

"Telegrams suck," she said but becoming more serious continued, "No, I think that communicates that they should pick us up when we land." Clark appreciated that she could understand what he was making the message sound like and go with it for the benefit of the present company. The ability to help him cover or create the white lies necessary in his line of work was a quality that had rescued him on many occasions. "And I'm sure they'll respond if there's any confusion," she further assured him.

They gave him Oliver's address and went on their way. The man at the desk looked relieved to see them go, or at least to see Lois go.

"I guess now we'd better get something to eat," Clark said.

"I'd prefer something light this time," Lois responded, remembering the meal last night with a grimace.

"How about the Café Parisian?" Clark suggested. "If it's a café, the food is probably lighter and it was right across from the Á La Carte, so we know how to get to it pretty easy."

Lois agreed to try it.

The restaurant truly managed to achieve the look of a Parisian outdoor café. It was grand but not overwhelmingly grand like the A La Carte. It was more cheery with all of the sunlight and fresh air streaming into the room. The white wicker chairs looked a little more comfortable too.

It was fairly packed to be so late in the afternoon, but they did spot one small table in the back corner. They'd barely had time to get seated before a woman with perfectly placed light brown hair came up to their table. Her early 20th century clothes couldn't hide the fact that she wasn't normally such a modest dresser. Her red day dress had been adjusted to show a little more skin than was intended.

"Do you mind if I join you?" she asked in honey tones. Lois wasn't thrilled to share a table with this woman, but it would be the perfect opportunity to pump information from a fellow passenger. "Not at all," she answered.

"Married?" the woman inquired, directing her gaze to Clark. It was clear that flirting was a lifestyle for her and if she wasn't trying for romance, she was using it to get her way.

Lois didn't often have to worry about women vying for Clark's attention when he was in normal clothes. He dressed the part of a geek and often acted the part of a geek. However, some women found that attractive and some women just found men attractive. Lois didn't worry though. Clark was as loyal as they came, which meant cheating on his wife didn't even cross his mind.

"Yes," Clark answered without hesitation.

The woman took out a cigarette and put in an old fashioned cigarette holder. She took a long, slow drag from her cigarette. Lois almost wished she had one too with all the anxiety she felt. They were like sitting ducks with no place to fly to unless this mystery was solved in a hurry or a superhero got here soon. "Did you know that Lex Luthor was one of the people who contributed funds to this venture?" she asked out of the blue.

"No, I didn't," Clark said, sitting straighter at the news.

"He's not onboard, is he?" Lois asked, trying not to let any of her alarm show.

"If he was, honey, I wouldn't be wasting my time with you."

Lois rolled her eyes, not only a flirt but a gold-digger. At least, she was honest.

"By any chance, did you get a note in your room?" Clark asked.

She smiled coyly, "What kind of note?"

"Any note."

"Nothing other than the traditional bon voyage notes," she answered distractedly. "I see a man all by his lonesome. If you'll excuse me, it's been nice chatting." She didn't wait to be excused before she sauntered over to his table.

"Do you think she was lying about the note or she just didn't recognize it as a threat?" Lois tugged absentmindedly on the big bow on the front of her bodice as she studied the woman's actions, trying to determine the answer.

"I don't think she was lying. Maybe not as many people got notes as we think. After all, wouldn't a lot more people be complaining and wouldn't there be a lot more tension? Most people look like they're having fun."

"That's for sure," she said, turning her full attention back to Clark. "Where would the passengers lodge complaints?"

"I'm not sure, but we'd better find out."


	6. Chapter 6

It turned out that the Parisian Café was just an extension of the A La Carte restaurant, but they were able to order a lighter meal from the menu.

"Do you think Lex Luthor intends to sink this ship, being that he is a contributor but not a passenger?" Lois asked straight out once they were out in the hallway and away from all the people in close quarters.

"It's possible that it's just a coincidence. After all, you know how Lex likes to keep his name in the paper. He intends to make a play for the presidency, so he naturally is generous with his money, but if there's one thing I've learned, it's that there are very few coincidences."

"One thing is for sure, it wasn't Lex that slipped the note under the door." she sighed. "It's frustrating having to wait for a reply by telegraph. I should have smuggled something onboard that would allow us to communicate with the outside world."

"There's not much point on focusing what we should have done. We'd better go back to the inquiry office. I'm sure he'd be able to direct us to where passengers make complaints if the inquiry office isn't the place."

Lois agreed and they hurried back to the office.

"Have any of the passengers made any complaints?" Lois asked the man at the desk before he could register the fact that she was back.

His eyebrows furrowed in annoyance, "Oh, it's you again. Why should they? We provide excellent service. As far as I know, you're the only one to complain about anything. Can I help you send another telegram?"

"No, not at those prices," she said. "Has there been a response to our telegram yet?"

"Telegrams are not text messages. It takes time. Someone has to deliver the telegram and then that person would have to go down to the office and send one back. You likely won't get a response until tomorrow. Now, ma'am, as much as I enjoy your company, would you kindly leave? There are other people waiting to see me."

Lois moved away from the desk and followed Clark out of the room.

"If you say one word to me, you'll be sleeping in your own bed tonight," she told him. She recognized the twinkle of humor in his eyes all too well.

"Isn't it wonderful how you make friends wherever you go?" Clark asked, obviously not too concerned about her threat.

"Is now the time to be displaying your charming wit?"

"You're right," he said, pacifying her. Lois took the lead and he followed behind her, lowering his head, so she wouldn't see his barely restrained grin. Their banter never got old to him.

They spent the day combing the first class section looking for blue kryptonite, clues, or suspicious-looking characters, but they came up empty.

When the sun had set, Clark checked his watch. "We should go to bed and get an early start tomorrow."

"It's the end of the day and what have we accomplished? Let's see today was the 11th. If they're following the same schedule 12, 13, 14," Lois counted one her fingers. "We only have 3 full days before there's another possible sinking."

"Well, we should have a telegram response or someone to help us by tomorrow. We'll have more success then. It's practically impossible for 2 normal people to comb a ship of this size and find a single culprit in such a short time frame. We have a hard enough time finding our way back to our rooms."

"You're right. It may be smaller compared to cruise ships today, but it is still too large for its own good."

"I know one thing we've accomplished today," Clark said.

"What's that, Mr. Silver Lining, besides learning telegram prices are outrageous?"

"Well, we know whoever it is targeted us specifically with that note and not a large group of passengers like we originally thought. With all the other reporters and well known passengers onboard, why just us, at least as far as we know?"

"Which points it back to Lex. Of course, that knowledge won't do us much good if we don't find the little minion doing his bidding."

"It will be much easier when we get some superhero help," Clark assured her.

"I hope you're right."


	7. Chapter 7

"What do you mean there has been no response?" Lois echoed, trying hard not to sound as distressed as she felt. "This is a new day. There should have been a response by now."

"I mean," said the man behind the desk with gritted teeth, "that there has been no response. I'll tell you what, if you promise not to come back here anymore, I will personally come and deliver the telegram to you, ma'am."

"Where do they send the telegrams out?" Clark asked.

"It's called the radio room. It's not far from here, but I promise you that your telegram has been sent out. We run an efficient ship here. However, if you would like to see where your telegram was sent out, they do allow passengers a brief glimpse at the room."

Clark and Lois started walking to the radio room right after the man gave them directions.

She spoke on the way, "I don't care what that man says. If Oliver and Chloe got that message and there's no reason they wouldn't have, they would have sent Bart, A.C., somebody to check on us by now."

"I agree," Clark assured her. "It's definitely cause for concern."

There were two young men in the small radio room and fancy, antique-looking equipment filled what little space there was, but they all managed to fit in it.

"What would you like to know or are you just taking a peek?" the older of the pair asked.

"Did you type a message yesterday to Star City?" Clark asked.

"Yes," he answered slowly, obviously trying to figure out what these passengers were doing drilling him about modern telegrams.

"Are you sure it went through okay? What's your reception like?" Lois asked.

"Are we talking reception now or at the time of the original Titanic?" the younger of the two men asked.

"Now," Lois clarified with a roll of her eyes. She wondered where they dug up these people who worked here.

"It's much greater than it was then. There's no doubt that your message was delivered. The equipment may look old, but they're new and fully functioning."

"Has it been checked to make sure?" Clark asked, wishing he could use his x-ray vision to check the wiring himself.

"You bet. We checked it before we left port. If the electricity were to fail, we have a back up generator and batteries. This baby is set," said the older one like a proud father.

"Well, humor me," Lois said. "Pretend it's 1912, and I'm a snooty first class passenger wanting to make doubly sure my message was sent. Do you know how to check and make sure messages are going through?"

"Sure," said the younger one, rubbing his long fingers together like he was getting ready to play the piano. "I can send a message to our office in the UK. I'll tell them to send a response immediately."

The clocks in the room ticked loudly counting down the seconds as they waited for the answering telegram. The seconds turned into minutes.

"That's funny," he said, clearing his throat rather nervously. "I know it's working. We've been getting messages since we left."

"I'll be back," the older one announced. He looked a little nervous too.

"Are you the only means of communication to land?" Lois asked the young man.

"As a licensed ship, we do have other forms of communications. This little setup is mostly for historical purposes."

Lois and Clark both breathed sighs of relief. They weren't stranded in the ocean without communication.

"Would it be possible for us to send our message on the other equipment?" Clark asked.

"If sending out messages has somehow been disrupted, I'm sure you'll be allowed to have it sent out on the other equipment."

They waited until the other telegraphist appeared with a superior officer. The telegraphist appeared to be a shade or two paler then when he left.

"The captain would like to speak with the two of you personally," he said to Clark and Lois. To the telegraphists he said, "As for you two, carry on and let me or the captain know of any updates."

"What's this about?" Lois asked suspiciously.

"Nothing to be alarmed about, ma'am. The captain just wished to offer his profuse apologies and explain the situation."

They were led to the captain's quarters and left to speak with him.

"I want to apologize about that telegram business," the captain explained, "and assure you that you will be refunded the money."

"The money isn't what has us worried," Clark said, "is there any way to contact people on dry land?"

He looked uncomfortable momentarily but retained his composure and replied honestly, "At the moment no, but there's no need to really. It seems we can receive messages, but something is blocking messages from going out on all fronts. We've only recently become aware of the situation. I assure you we will get to the bottom of this small problem. Besides, we won't be at sea too much longer."

"We're cut off from the outside world, and we're going to continue as if there's nothing wrong?" Lois asked in disbelief.

"You have nothing to be fearful of, Ms. Lane, Mr. Kent, I assure you. If we were to experience any sort of distress, we have lifeboats, signaling devices. There's no reason to alarm the other passengers. Believe me, the last we need is a mob of panicked people," the captain smoothly explained. "I trust we can keep this bit of unfortunate news to ourselves."

"You're the captain, Captain," Lois said, her tone riddled with sarcasm. "If you say we stay on course, I guess we don't have any say in the matter."

They left the room. Time was growing shorter and the situation was getting more desperate.

"I was considering telling him about the note," Clark said, "but I don't think there'd be any point. He seems determined to cover this up."

"Our only hope is to find the person who slipped us the note. I don't think the crew is going to take us seriously until we have definite proof that we're in danger."

They hadn't gone far before a middle-aged man with a heavy mustache came up to them. "The captain wishes to offer you a complimentary tour of the ship and asks you both to dine with him this evening."

"Our bribe for keeping silent I suppose," Lois muttered.

"We'll take it," Clark agreed straight away.

Lois whispered to Clark, "Do we really have time to take tours right now?"

"What better way to get more familiar with the ship," he whispered back, "and who knows what else we might spot not running like it should. It might give us a clue about where to look next."

Lois couldn't argue with him there. "Let's take a tour then."


	8. Chapter 8

"What would you like to see first?" their tour guide asked them. He was the same officer that had taken them to see the captain the previous day.

"Could we how this ship runs?" Clark asked.

"Certainly, this way please."

They were taken down to where the boilers were. There were quite a few men working to feed the boilers, and they were working hard. They were covered in a sweaty sheen as they shoveled the coal. It was fairly dark other than the fiery glow from the boilers, and it took a few moments before they noticed the coal was not the right color for coal.

Since when was coal blue?" Lois asked their tour guide.

"It is a fairly new substance, but we found it burns just as well as the coal and is less harmful to the environment. It's not historically accurate, of course, but we shouldn't add more pollution to the world for the sake of being historically accurate."

"Excuse us for a moment," Lois told the man.

"As you wish," he replied, seeming to take no offense as they went off to a private spot.

"Now we know why you don't have your powers, but how are we going to get your powers back?" Lois whispered to Clark.

"If it's being burned, there's nowhere on the ship I can go to get out of its proximity. I won't have my powers back until we get off of here. At least it's a relief to know I didn't somehow come in contact with gold kryptonite."

"Maybe you could swim away from the ship. That should get you far enough away from its exposure and restore your powers."

"I'm not leaving you here alone, and I believe we should save that for a last resort."

"You're right. With the water as cold as it is, there's no guarantee that you could get far enough from the ship before dying of hypothermia."

They started walking back and Clark spotted a name on one of the bins. "LexCorp," he said, reading the name off. "That's where their supply of fake coal came from."

"LexCorp Industries, is it any surprise? I am positive it's Lex Luthor now. It isn't just anyone that can come up with evil gadgets to keep us from calling for help and it isn't just anyone who would put a little insurance that there would be no help from you. I'm sure there's more little surprises in store for us."

"He's not the one doing the dirty work though. We need to find that person and discover what the plan is."

"I think the plan is clear, to repeat history," Lois muttered. "He's going to somehow drive this ship right into an iceberg."

They rejoined their tour guide and Clark asked the question, "Would there be any way for a person to interfere with the direction of the ship from down here?"

"Well, I suppose they could stop the ship by closing the dampers or speed it up by adding more fuel, but they certainly couldn't steer it in any particular direction, no."

By the late afternoon, they had seen pretty much every public room there was to see from the Turkish baths to the mailroom, but they hadn't gotten anymore leads or clues.

Tired from the tour but not wanting to miss the chance to talk to the captain and glean some more information, they changed into their evening clothes for dinner. Lois chose a forest green dress with a black velvet trim. Clark took her hand and kissing it, asked, "How do you always manage to take my breath away, no matter what century your dress is from?"

"I'm glad one of us is enjoying the dresses, but the sooner we get out of these old-fashioned clothes and back into modern, the happier I will be," she answered.

Clark hugged her, not missing the undercurrent of worry in her sarcastic tone. "It won't be much longer. We have nothing to worry about. You'll see."


	9. Chapter 9

They weren't the only ones who'd been invited to eat at the captain's table. You could tell by their manner that these people were truly rich and influential people, not reporters being bribed for their silence.

Lois and Clark's presence at the table seemed to bring a quiet to an otherwise chatty group.

"I hear that LexCorp provided the coal for the trip and that Lex Luthor, himself, gave a large contribution to this venture," Lois said, opening up the dinner conversation.

"Yes, I believe he did," said a heavyset, middle-aged man. "I believe the Luthors have a penchant for the historical. Didn't they bring that ancient Scottish castle to that little Kansas town, a little eccentric to be sure but," he took a spoonful of the soup, "I'm not complaining. He can support more ventures like this I say. The service is excellent, the food in particular. It's first-class all the way." He chuckled at his joke.

That brought up a lively discussion of the quality of the meals, a subject that had nothing to do with the mystery at hand. Lois and Clark both tried to steer the conversation back to something that was useful, but it was a hopeless task. The people refused to be dissuaded from the topic of consommés.

"I believe my wife and I could use a walk before dessert comes," Clark told the group.

He was barely acknowledged as they continued their passionate discussion of soup.

"I don't see how this is going to help anything," Lois grumbled as they walked away from the table.

"You were starting to look more than a little angry. It looked like you needed a break," Clark said, taking her hand.

She sighed. "I was about ready to pour some soup over their heads. Then they could have judged the quality of flowage."

Clark grinned and held the door open for her as they stepped outside.

The moonlight illuminated the white deck. It was a very romantic setting. For a second, they felt they could pretend they were simply lovers going for a moonlight stroll and that they could forget they were also passengers on an ill-fated cruise. Reality came crashing back hard though when their eyes fell on the lifeboats.

"You know there are enough lifeboats. Even if we don't solve who's behind this, no one's going to die."

"Can you be sure of that?" Lois asked. The silence said it all. "That's what I thought."

Clark spied a white notebook resting on the arm of one of the wooden deck chairs. He looked up and down but spied no one else around. "Someone must have left it. We better turn it in before it gets ruined."

"Did they have such a thing as the lost and found in 1912?" Lois asked with a small smile. She took the notebook from him. "Why don't you just open it up and look for a name."

"Because," Clark said with an outstretched hand, "that would be an invasion of privacy."

Rather than answering with a 'that's what reporters do' crack, her eyes widened as she read what was contained in the notebook. "I think you had better read this," she said slowly.

"Lois—" Clark began.

"I'm serious," she interrupted.

Clark looked over her shoulder and they both read the inked page.

_I'm keeping this journal to chronicle the events of the destruction of the Titanic 2. History should not be mocked, which is what this cruise has set out to do. If these people want to relive the experience of the Titanic then that's exactly what they'll get. I have to admit that there's something rather poetic about drowning in the same place on an almost exact replica 100 years later to the very day that appeals to my scholar's soul. Another fascinating tale for the history books. That's why when I was approached by_

They were so absorbed in the notebook, they didn't notice the young boy turning the corner at full speed. He knocked into Lois hard. Lois fell forward, her stomach hitting the railing, and she lost her grip on the notebook. Clark grabbed her before she could topple over the side, but the notebook continued its trajectory until there was a small splash.

A mother dashed around the corner grabbed the boy's hand firmly and berated him, "William, how many times do I have to tell you these decks and your shoes were not made for running?"

It was true. The deck was a little slick in these historical leather shoes. There was no grip on the bottoms like you'd find in a modern shoe. It wouldn't take much imagination to see a running child sliding over the edge in them.

Clark and Lois watched the notebook, the key to the mystery, as it bobbed on the waves for a few seconds and then sank out of sight as lost to the sea as the ship soon might be.

"I'm sorry," the mother apologized to them. "I hope William didn't cause too much trouble."

"Not at all," Lois lied through a gritted smile.

When they were alone again, Clark said, "At least we know now we're looking for a madman. It was careless of him to leave his notebook laying out here for anyone to find. He's obviously getting excited and getting careless because of it. It's only a matter of time before we find him and stop him."

She stared into the dark, icy depths of the ocean as if hoping the notebook would suddenly appear again. She swallowed hard and nodded, praying that he was right.


	10. Chapter 10

Clark woke up the next morning with Lois not in the room. He felt the spot beside him. It was cool, meaning she had been up for awhile. He had no way of locating her immediately without his powers.

That wasn't true he told himself. He had to put himself in her shoes. With her anxieties running high, where would she go to release some of her tension? The answer came to him immediately. He got dressed and hurried to the gymnasium. He started to go in, but he was stopped by one of the employees.

"Excuse me, sir. You can't go in there."

"It's not like the women aren't dressed. Why can't I go in for just a moment to speak to my wife? It is the 21st century after all."

"But for the extent of the cruise, it's the early 20th century, which means ladies from 9-2, gentlemen 2-6."

"Okay. I'll just wait for her out here then." He waited until the man was out of sight and then went into the gym.

Clark was half expecting to hear screams after the porter had made such a big deal, but these were 21st century women who could care less. He spotted Lois pedaling on a stationary bike.

Lois was in a sweat and didn't seem surprised to see him. "Well, it's the 13th, Clark. Tomorrow night is the night. How could I have lost that notebook? We should have scanned the notebook for names before we did anything else."

"Wishing isn't going to change anything. We have two days left. I know we can find this person. At least we know he or she is some sort of history scholar."

"Even that's not definite. Maybe he just called himself a scholar. Maybe the notebook wasn't even real. Maybe this is one of Lex's sick games."

"That's true, but right now it's the best lead we've got. Let's see if anybody onboard has a history related job."

Lois nodded and climbed off the bike. "I bet the captain wouldn't mind getting the records for us."

A man with a heavy mustache in a period workout outfit came striding over to him. "You are not supposed to be in here, sir."

"We were just leaving," Clark said.

The man spotted one of the ladies having trouble with the oars and went over to help.

"Check out the phony rowboat and mechanical horse," Lois said as they walked out. "It's certainly not something you see in a gym everyday. Doesn't it scream Edwardian? At least, they had some normal equipment in here. I have a feeling this was more a playhouse for the rich than a genuine gymnasium."

Clark smiled, "At least they were trying to stay fit, and the equipment does look fun."

sss

They found it easy to obtain the records. The captain did want their silence, and he knew they were journalists for an internationally published paper. Clark and Lois split the records up and spent the better part of the day in the library combing through the employment information, taking notes when they ran across a likely suspect. It was a fascinating library. None of the books were published past 1912 and there was a wide variety of materials. Clark wished he'd had some time to read some of the musty tomes.

"What did you come up with?" Lois asked at last in a weary but fervent tone.

"I have 73 people in some sort of teaching professions, 36 who work at a museum, and 8 others in miscellaneous history related professions."

"I have 49 in a teaching profession, 18 who work in a museum, and 21 miscellaneous. And we can't forget the crew or the fact our person might not even have a history related job. This is hopeless. We might as well just randomly select a name and hope for the best." Being facetious she put a finger down and came up with a name. "How does Charles Palmer sound?"

One of the older ladies who was in the library overheard the name, "Oh, you have to meet Charles. He's a walking encyclopedia if you have a question about the Titanic. I'm surprised he's not one of the historical reenactors being the fanatic that he is. He talks all the time as if he's really living it." She frowned, "He's a strange man, a kook really, but an event like this is bound to bring a few nuts out of the woodwork, you know?"

"That sounds like it could be our man," Clark whispered to Lois. "Maybe we've just received a stroke of luck."

"I hope so because if we solve this in time that's exactly what it'll be," she said, standing up, "luck."


	11. Chapter 11

They went straight to Charles' room, knowing the room number due to the records. They knocked on the door but didn't receive any response. A woman was getting ready to go through the door next to Charles'.

"Excuse me," Clark said. "Have you seen the man that is staying in this room?"

She shook her head, "Not lately and I never see the light on under the door. He must stay very busy." The woman went on into her room, leaving Clark and Lois alone in the hallway.

"You watch for people, and I'll break open the door. Lend me one of your hairpins," Clark said. Lois pulled one out, an essential commodity with all the fancy buns required in the period, and he bent down and struggled with the lock. He didn't have much success.

Lois was mildly amused, "It's harder when you can't use your superpowers, isn't it?"

"Here you give it a try."

They switched roles, and Lois had it open in seconds.

"Beginner's luck," Clark kidded.

"Not hardly. I've plenty of practice over the years."

They treaded carefully into the living area. It was like it was a creepy memorial to the original Titanic. There were black and white pictures all over the walls, pictures of passengers and pictures of the first Titanic inside and out. There were also colorized pictures of the Titanic's watery grave. There were all sorts of books on the subject of the Titanic on the table. Lois picked one up and flipped briefly through the pages. Particularly morbid sentences were underlined like "those in the water had frozen to death" and "many third class passengers could not find their way to the lifeboats."

"I think we can definitely say he's our man," Lois said dryly.

"It certainly looks that way."

Further looking through the rooms proved more of the same, but there was no Charles.

"We should wait for him to come back," Lois said. "That way we won't miss him."

Clark agreed and they took shifts watching while the other person slept. The early morning hours crept up and still Charles didn't return to his rooms.

"I suggest we go to the church service," Clark said when morning had fully dawned.

"I realize that there probably isn't a better time to go to church than when death is looming, but why?"

"My theory is that the guy obviously has a morbid streak, right? Would a person obsessed with the deaths miss a service that is bound to be partly a memorial service for the passengers that didn't survive?"

"I see your point. Okay, let's go."

Even though April 14th wasn't a Sunday, church services were being held in the dining room to coincide with the original Titanic's order of events. The captain led the service.

The service was brief with a prayerful, old-fashioned feel to it. Clark and Lois didn't hear much of the message because they were too busy looking through the crowd of people for Charles to hear it.

They all joined in the hymn Eternal Father Strong to Save, using the papers that had been handed out at the beginning of the service. There was a starred note that said the hymn was known to have been sung by the original passengers at the service.

"Eternal Father, strong to save,  
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,  
Who biddest the mighty ocean deep  
It's own appointed limits keep;  
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,  
For those in peril on the sea!

O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard  
And hushed their raging at Thy Word,  
Who walked on the foaming deep,  
And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;  
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,  
For those in peril on the sea!

Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood  
Upon the chaos dark and rude,  
And bid it's angry tumult cease,  
And give, for wild confusion, peace;  
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,  
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power!  
Our family shield in danger's hour;  
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,  
Protect us wheresoever we go;  
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee  
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea."

Although it must have been a common hymn for maritime services, a chill crept down both Lois and Clark's spine at the apt words. They fit in 1912, and they fit now. They were certainly in peril on the sea, and danger's hour was nearly upon them.


	12. Chapter 12

They spent the day looking for signs of Charles, but evening came and they were no closer to finding him.

"We're never going to find Charles among all these people. We need help. We have to get the captain onboard with us in looking for Charles or it's going to be like finding a needle in a haystack," Clark said.

"You're right," Lois agreed, "but I don't see the captain agreeing to help us."

"We have to try," Clark said.

They knew the captain was attending a party. They interrupted the exclusive party for the captain at the A La Carte.

"I'm sorry, invited guests only," one of the servers told them.

"We are not here for the party. We're here to see the captain."

"This is a private dinner party for the captain," the woman cried indignantly. Her character was Eleanor Widener, the woman who had thrown the party for the captain, and clearly it was going to her head. "No one crashed our party in 1912, and no one should crash it now."

"Aren't you taking this role just a little too seriously," Lois replied.

"We have upsetting news," Clark said. "We have good reason to believe this ship is going to sink tonight."

Laughter filled the room after an awkward pause. They clearly thought it was some sort of joke given the circumstances.

"It's no joke," Lois insisted to them. "There's a nutty passenger onboard who wants to repeat history."

"There's just one problem with your theory," the captain said. "There are no icebergs. How is this nutty passenger going to make an iceberg appear out of nowhere?"

There were more chuckles at the captain's supposed wit.

"We don't know all of the details, but trust me. Something bad is going to happen here unless you do something about it," Lois argued.

"You two have been a thorn in my side this whole trip, and I don't believe a word you're saying. You're clearly after some excitement so you can write about it in your paper."

"We wouldn't do that," Clark replied calmly.

"You have to believe us, captain!" Lois practically shouted. "Do you want another grand ship resting on the bottom of the ocean and more importantly do you want to risk your passengers' lives?"

The captain's face turned red from restrained anger. "Do not tell me how to run my ship. Your story is ludicrous. I am sure there is a perfectly good explanation for everything that's happened so far. Now I hope you two won't have to be locked up to keep from inciting a panic, but I certainly will if it comes to that."

Clark guided Lois quickly out of the restaurant, knowing she wouldn't be able to resist another barb at the captain, which would probably get them locked up.

"The only way the captain's going to do something about this," Lois muttered, "is if we hand deliver Charles, tied up in pretty little bows with a full confession on his lips."

"Well. I suppose we'll just have to catch him then. I suggest we go down to the part of the ship that was rent and we're bound to find something: Charles, a bomb, anything. The captain's right about one thing. There's no iceberg to tear open the ship this time. Something else has to be afoot."

Lois looked at the time, "That's all we can hope for at this point."

They went back to Charles' room. Clark tore a page from one of the books that showed a picture of where the ship had been damaged. "If Charles is trying to recreate the event exactly, this is where the damage is going to be done."

They quickly began their descent to the lower level of the ship.

"Wait," Clark said when they got near their rooms. "I want to grab something." Clark came back carrying their life jackets. "Just in case," he said when Lois eyed them warily.

They searched the area and everything was quiet.

Clark pulled out a pocket watch and watched as the watch moved to the position of 11:40. Everything appeared quiet. Clark let out a heavy sigh of relief. "Maybe this whole thing has been nothing but a hoax."

"Maybe it has. I think there has been something not right about everything. Why are we the ones who got the note, why was finding that notebook so easy, why was finding out about Charles so easy?"

There was a sudden rocking of the ship. Clark and Lois had to fight to stay on their feet. The destruction was right on schedule after all.

"It looks like we're too late," Lois said gravely.


	13. Chapter 13

Clark and Lois surveyed the damage. There was a line of small holes put in place by mini-explosions. Which brought up the question of how tiny explosive devices had gotten placed on the outside of the ship this far down without being seen? It had to have been done before the ship ever left dock. This was no spur of the moment planning, and it made it clearer than ever that it was more than one madman's plotting or how did the ship get past inspection. The damage was not a perfect replication of the damage done in 1912, but it was close enough to soon put an end to the ship in much the same manner. Water was already beginning to seep into the ship.

"We better go warn everyone if they don't already know about the damage," Clark said.

They raced out to the deck. There was already a large crowd of people, most of them in their nightwear. A few people looked nervous, but most looked amused and interested. They must have though the rocking of the ship was planned as a part of the reenactment.

The captain was at the forefront of the crowd, speaking through a megaphone. "There has been some slight damage done to the ship, not from an iceberg, but it's a cause for concern nonetheless. We ask that you remain calm and prepare to board the lifeboats."

A panic began to spread as people realized this wasn't part of a reenactment. There was shoving and pushing, screaming, and crying as people tried to make their way to a lifeboat.

"Calm down!" the captain shouted through his megaphone. "We have plenty of time before the ship goes down. Form orderly lines and the crew will help you board the lifeboats. This is the best way to ensure everyone gets onboard one of the lifeboats."

Despite the events, the captain's strong, deep voice and reassuring words seemed to have a calming effect on the crowd and though there was still some occasional pushing and crying, and clearly fear was still on everyone's faces, people were following the captain's orders. Lois didn't think he was the greatest captain in the world, but at least, he wasn't abandoning the ship and taking good care of a bad situation.

"I have to go make sure everyone's getting off the ship. There's bound to be some people who think this is a joke and stayed in their beds. Go ahead and get on one of the life boats. I'll join you just as soon as I can."

"Are you crazy? I'm not leaving without you!" Lois yelled above the clamor.

"Lois, if the ship goes down, you can't be on it," Clark said, trying to reason with her.

"The blue kryptonite makes you just like any normal man. You could drown or die of hypothermia just like anyone else."

"If the ship starts to go down, I will swim away and any shock I get from the cold will be remedied once I'm away from the ship. The same can't be said for you."

She gave a heavy sigh, "Fine, but if anything happens to you, I want you to know that I will kill you."

He laughed and pressed a kiss against her lips. "You have nothing to worry about."

Lois got on one of the lifeboats. She couldn't take her eyes from the ship even when her lifeboat had been lowered out onto the sea. Each minute felt like an hour. Every now and then someone sent up a flare. At least, the ship still had those even of it had no other communication. It could have been Lois' imagination, but it looked like the ship was already getting an angle to it. The crowd on deck was thinning out as people were getting into lifeboats. Every now and then a straggler would come up or a crew member come back from checking an area of the ship for passengers. Each time, Lois held her breath as she hoped it was Clark. The minutes became an hour, but the ship was still floating. At last, there was no one on the deck but the captain and crew. They were starting to get into a lifeboat themselves.

Lois started to panic. What if Clark had come in contact with some other kind of kryptonite? What if he was lying unconscious somewhere? Just as she was contemplating swimming back to the Titanic 2, she saw a dot in the water growing larger. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Clark swimming toward the lifeboat. She and one of the men on the lifeboat helped lift him into the lifeboat.

He was sopping wet, but she could tell by his tight hug that his powers were returned, and he would be okay. There was complete quiet as the passengers watched the Titanic 2 lift higher and higher into the air until there was a terrible noise signaling the ship breaking.

Someone in the crowd began singing,

"Nearer, my God, to Thee,  
Nearer to Thee.  
E'en though it be a cross,  
That raiseth me  
Still all my song shall be,  
Nearer, my God, to Thee  
Nearer, my God, to Thee,  
Nearer to Thee."

The lone voice was joined by other voices that knew the words. It was a fitting memorial to the people that had lost their lives at this very spot, since it was the hymn the original passengers had chosen to sing during such a tragic moment.

"Though like the wanderer,  
The sun gone down  
Darkness be over me,  
My rest a stone,  
Yet in my dreams I'd be,  
Nearer, my God, to Thee  
Nearer, my God, to Thee,  
Nearer to Thee.

There let the way appear,  
Steps unto heaven  
All that Thou sendest me,  
In mercy given  
Angels to beckon me,  
Nearer, my God, to Thee  
Nearer, my God, to Thee,  
Nearer to Thee.

Then with my waking thoughts  
Bright with Thy praise  
Out of my stony griefs  
Bethel I'll raise  
So by my woes to be,  
Nearer, my God, to Thee  
Nearer, my God, to Thee,  
Nearer to Thee.

Or if on joyful wing,  
Cleaving the sky  
Sun, moon, and stars forgot,  
Upward I fly  
Still all my song shall be,  
Nearer, my God, to Thee  
Nearer, my God, to Thee,  
Nearer to Thee!"

Even though no one had died from the sinking the time around, somehow an event like this had a way of making you feel closer to God. The song was as poignant in 2012, as it had been in 1912. For even though a 100 years had gone by, ships still sank and people were still mortal. All the progress in the world couldn't change that.

The magnificent reproduction ship slowly sank out of sight. Lois could almost picture the people clinging to the ship and the debris, the people dying of hypothermia. She could almost hear their agonizing cries in the stillness. She thanked God that a tragedy like that hadn't happened this time around.

"I just don't get it," Lois whispered through chattering teeth to Clark as they huddled together. She had worn the heaviest and woolliest garments she had been provided with, but it didn't feel like it was doing much to keep out the piercing cold. "If Lex is the one that did this, why did he do it? Do you still believe that it just a madman named Charles?"

"If there was such a person onboard, he's in one of the lifeboats. I x-rayed that ship carefully before it sank. There was no one onboard. When we get picked up and names get checked off, we'll find out who this Charles is once and for all."

A rescue ship slowly appeared on the horizon. It was the L.L. Luxury Liner.

"I believe this is slowly starting to make perfect sense," Lois said.


	14. Chapter 14

The L.L. Luxury Liner had pulled alongside the bobbing lifeboats and began the task of getting everyone onboard. The rescued passengers were provided with warm blankets and warm drinks. The captain had brought a list of passenger names with him and names were checked off one by one. Light began to appear on the horizon before the task was completed.

"Did everyone make it off the boat?" Clark asked the captain when he was finished.

"Almost, son."

"Did Charles Palmer?" Lois asked.

"I'm afraid not. He's the only one unaccounted for, and there's no way he could have survived the waters. I'm sorry I didn't pay your warnings more heed."

Clark nodded and then he and Lois went to talk in private.

"Are you surprised?" she asked.

"Not a bit. This has Lex Luthor written all over it, but the question is can we prove it?"

April 17, 2012

Lois was standing with folded arms in the newsroom as she watched the screen along with most of the journalists in the room. The only difference was that she had a scowl on her face.

"Superman is well and good as are the other superheroes," Lex said in a live broadcast, "but let's not forget heroes are people like you and me, ordinary people willing to lend a hand to their fellow man."

Lois shook her head. What a slimy weasel Lex was, and he was being lauded a hero for his part in the ocean rescue. The words were right, but the source was not. She and Clark had long figured out the motivation. It was an expensive publicity stunt, one that would stick in people's minds for a long time to come. He was going to be making a bid for office and he wanted his name in the public arena with a positive light on it.

"If you run for office and win," Lois muttered threateningly under her breath to an unhearing Lex, "I'll make Watergate look like child's play. You won't know the meaning of the words political scandal."

Lex had covered his tracks too well in this incident. Charles Palmer had been the perfect scapegoat, a madman obsessed with the events of the Titanic, and now he was supposedly dead. No one but she and Clark had even tried to look into the incident further to find an alternate explanation. It had served to give her and Clark even more resolve to bring down Lex Luthor.

She went over to her to desk to read her article one more time before she gave it to Perry.

_The Destruction of the Titanic 2: One Journalist's Personal Account_

_by Lois Lane_

_I've seen a lot of articles on the original Titanic these past few weeks. Everyone is fascinated with tragedy. It's one of the reasons I have a job. Tragedy sells papers. I know you've already read an objective account from my partner and myself a couple of days ago that focused on the events, but I had to share what the experience taught me._

_I admit I wasn't much fascinated with the Titanic at the outset. Events that happened before I was born and that bear little or no relevance to today don't interest me very much. The story of the Titanic became more real to me, however, as I learned more about the ship and our own circumstances began playing themselves out. _

_What probably touched me the most was sitting in the lifeboat, watching the ship sinking, and having no idea where my husband was and no way of knowing if I would ever see him again. For a moment, I knew what those women in the lifeboats must have faced all that time ago. As the haunting strains of Closer My God to Thee carried over the water, I remembered that even in the face of death these people had the courage to look to God and praise Him, whether they were facing death themselves or whether they only knew someone else who was. The person I was given to play at the outset, Edith Rosenbaum, survived the Titanic. The person my husband was given, William Stead, did not, not all that surprising for a male on the Titanic. Had this been 1912 instead of 2012, I would most likely be mourning for my husband now. _

_A 100 years have come and gone, and in that time many things have changed: fashion, technology, laws, etiquette. Some things have changed for the better and for other things, perhaps, we should take a lesson out of the past. I was also reminded that some things never change. We're not so advanced in our modern age that tragedy can't still happen. People still show heroic moments, they still look to their Creator for comfort, and they still pull together in the face of tragedy. As this 100th anniversary passes, let's stop a moment to remember those heroes of the original Titanic and be thankful that we still have heroes like that today._

She clicked the print button and took a moment to look out the window. She watched as her husband flew past, and she smiled. Heroes did still exist and she was married to one of the greatest of their age.

The End


End file.
